– Satyakam Ray
The time is 11 pm. Popcorn, snacks, and Coke are all set for a blissful weekend of binge-watching. You start the Netflix show on TV, comfortably seated on the couch, and indulge in vicarious exploits. Suddenly, you realize the remote isn’t nearby, so you have to increase the volume. At a quick glance, you find the hiccup to your bliss in front of you. It’s beyond the reach of your hands. At first, you reach out to grab it, but you fail and topple over!
Then an ingenious “jugaad” comes to mind. You start throwing popcorn, a nearby lying pen, and pencils towards the remote. You aim at the volume control, hoping to hit it. But who can persuade a procrastinating lyadhkhor?! Instead, you can get up from your couch and grab the remote instead of being busy with these frivolities.
Further digging into Lyadh:
Lyadhkhor is a person who knows the art of doing nothing. In simple words, the term refers to laziness. But the word’s literal meaning does not justify the nuance of this fun. It connotes a certain laid-back temperament that has defined the average Bengali or Calcutta folks. If you ask a lyadhkhor friend to go to CCD, movies, or simply for a walk in the park, you will probably get the response, “na, Kal Chalte hai na.” They often suggest going another day. I think the song ‘Jaane bhi do yaaro’ should be the anthem of the Lyadhkhor people.
The calm composure and carefree attitude exist amid the chaos of this fast-paced society. These traits make the life of a lyadhkhor a tad less exciting. But who cares if a person sleeps the entire day on Sunday out of lyadh – in pure natural bliss? They are too easygoing or simply complacent with worldly pleasures.
Psychological Angle of Lyadh:
The lyadhkhor people are more relaxed than physically active people. Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada studied brain connections to unravel the “exercise paradox.” They suggested that our brains would be more attracted to sedentary behavior than an active lifestyle.
The lyadhkhor are not kaamchors, as norms portray them to be. They do not care about others’ opinions; they do as their hearts say. They can do anything under the sun, but only as the mood permits or as a forced obligation. The zeal to outperform everyone in the race and shine in the limelight does not arise in Lyadhkhor’s thinking. Backbenchers in the class, office meeting, or auditorium may be lyadhkhors. Their work efficiency is beyond question. It may be greater than that of the “chaturs” in the rat race.
Just because a person chooses to live a solitary lazy life, society should not level them as a kaamchor. They do not want to spoil their present-day by toiling hard to ensure a happy life in the unknown future.
Lyadh As Inspiration:
Lyadh has inspired humans to make many inventions that have reduced manual labor. For example, wheels- don’t feel like dragging legs through the woods; printing presses- don’t feel like copying the text longhand again; telegraphs- don’t feel like riding a horse across the country to take a few messages; bombs- don’t feel like killing enemies individually, and the list goes on.
Being lazy means finding many new ways to solve a problem with less effort. This is more valuable than being a copycat trying to impress superiors or society. Lazy people always find ways to do a job more easily using shortcuts. Even Bill Gates said, “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”
From the History Books- Lyadh chronicles:
Does the past have its fair share of lyadhkhor? In 1854, Lord Dalhousie stormed the city of Lucknow; an unconcerned Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was playing chess. All his servants fled. By the time he understood the consequences of his action, it was still not too late to escape. However, he did not escape. No one was left to put on his slippers lying beneath his bed. He was captured and imprisoned.
English writer Charlie Brooker watched a daytime TV show while sleeping in bed. But he needed to sit up to see the screen orientation correctly. Like a super lazy person, he found an easy solution. He turned the TV 90 degrees and kept it on its side.
Lyadh-From an Indian Perspective:
As an Indian, I would say we all have our lyadhkhor sides. Sometimes, they are visible, and sometimes, they are hidden in the garb of civility. When confronted with complex, challenging problems, we brainstorm and devise new, enterprising solutions—called “jugaads.”
Jugaads are uncanny, lawful, or sometimes unlawful means of getting things done. The idea of successfully executing a plan sometimes forces us to devise new strategies.
One person has summed up the Indian mentality by narrating a hypothetical scenario. Once there was a competition for the laziest person globally, and many participants worldwide participated in the competition. After several rounds, the jury decided that a guy from china stood first and 2nd was an Indian. At the award ceremony, when they called the winner and runner-up to receive the award, the Chinese guy started walking to take the prize, and the Indian asked him to get his award while coming.
The Conclusion:
As one Bengali girl surmised: “I am born lyadhkhor, kichu Khai na Khai Lyadh khete ami chari na.”Being a lyadhkhor is not as bad as it is perceived to be by social perspectives. In fact, it is a perk of the privileged life. But sometimes too much lyadh makes a person’s lifestyle sedentary and unhealthy. To counter the adverse effects of lyadh, you should occasionally follow a basic, healthy, and active routine. It would be best to balance Lyadh and their busy life. You should learn to stay loyal in your heart. For the sake of society and your family, you should rarely become physically inactive. After all, what is the meaning of life if you can’t sleep for over 10 hours on the weekends? It is all about lyadh!
The Witty Stride 